Baidu's Apollo Go and Freenow by Lyft Begin Road Testing in London
The tests begin with human safety operators as Baidu, Lyft and Freenow aim to launch public robotaxi rides in 2027.
- On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Baidu, Inc. announced its autonomous ride-hailing platform, Apollo Go, commenced road testing in London with Freenow by Lyft. The deployment integrates sixth-generation RT6 robotaxis into the city's transport network.
- This deployment builds on a 2025 strategic partnership between Baidu and Lyft to scale robotaxis across European markets. Lyft acquired Freenow in 2025 for about $197 million, establishing a foothold in the competitive region.
- Testing currently involves human safety operators within the London borough of Brent, covering urban and suburban environments. Research by Censuswide indicates 58% of Londoners are likely to try autonomous vehicles, with interest notably higher among those under 35.
- Public riders should expect availability in 2027, subject to pending regulatory approvals. When operational, the service will function as a hybrid network, with professional human drivers working alongside autonomous robotaxis.
- Apollo Go's fleet has accumulated over 330 million autonomous kilometers globally across 27 cities. The recent Hong Kong success in a right-hand-drive market positions the technology ahead of rivals Wayve and Waymo in the London robotaxi competition.
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Baidu's Apollo Go begins London robotaxi testing with Uber and Lyft
Baidu’s Apollo Go started robotaxi road testing in London today, and it’s doing it with both of ride-hailing’s biggest names at once — Uber and Freenow by Lyft. The launch lands days after Apollo Go ran the first fully driverless trial in any right-hand-drive market, in Hong Kong. Two milestones in one week, on opposite ends of the world.
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